When you cast this spell, choose one of cold, fire, electricity, or acid. You bring forth a barrier that absorbs a total of the first 8 damage/caster level (maximum 120 damage) of that type. This spell also gains that keyword. The target of that spell can use any energy absorbed in a few ways.

He can expend any amount of energy as part of casting an evocation to add 1/4th the energy expended in that damage type as part of the spell.

Can expend 7 energy as a swift action to be treated as armed for 1 round. His unarmed attack or melee weapon is treated as a weapon one size larger and gains a further 1d6 damage. All damage that that weapon inflicts
is of that element.

Can expend 30 damage as a standard action to not exist to a spell of that subtype for 1 round. You cannot be targeted by such a spell, nor are you affected by such a spell if you are within it’s area of effect, as if you weren’t even on the plane.

Expending energy does not restore the capacity of this ward, once the ward absorbs it’s maximum amount, it cannot prevent any more damage, although you can still expend energy.

One can only have one Elemental Siphon active on him at a time. If cast on a target with Protection from Energy, and this ward is the same element, 1/2 of the remaining capacity from Protection from Energy is added to this spell and Protection from Energy is immediately ended. This extra capacity does not count towards the 120 damage limit.

When you cast this spell, choose one of cold, fire, electricity, or acid. This spell also gains that keyword. You bring forth a ward that absorbs 100 plus 5 damage per caster level (no limit) damage of that type. The target of that spell can use any energy absorbed in a few ways.

You can use any of the effects of Elemental Siphon, as well as the following effects:

You can place a persistent aura around you as a free action on your own turn. For each 4 energy drained, you can choose to either do 1 damage of the warded element to every creature within 15 feet of you (no save) or negate 1 damage of the warded element to every creature within 15 feet of you. Unless you stop this aura as a free action on your own turn, it drains energy every round.

You can expend 50 energy as a swift action to do 1d6 damage per 2 caster levels of that energy’s damage within a 30 ft cone (Reflex negates).

You can expend 80 energy as part of casting an evocation spell of the same element as the ward to have that spell completely ignore elemental resistance (but not immunity).

You can expend 120 energy as a full-round action to summon Elementals as per Summon Monster VI. The elemental must match the type of the ward, and has a duration of 1 round per caster level.

The remaining capacity of this ward is how much energy the ward can absorb, thus spending energy increases the strength of the ward. If this ward attempts to absorb more than the maximum amount of energy, the ward immediately shatters and inflicts all of the stored damage onto the wearer (Fortitude half).

One can only have one Elemental Siphon or Reckless Elemental Siphon active on him at a time. If Protection from Energy and this spell are on the same subject, the newer spell is the first spell to take effect if the target is hit with a source of elemental damage.

As you mutter a few words, your hands or your body becomes as cold as a blizzard. This spell can be cast as a standard or a swift action. If you cast this spell as a swift action, you take 3d6 cold damage every round that the spell is in effect.

While under the effect, whether as a swift or standard action, if you succeed on a normal unarmed strike or natural attack, or if you succeed on a grapple check on a creature, or a creature succeeds on a grapple check on you, that creatures takes 1 Constitution damage. Simply touching the enemy is not enough, you need sustained contact with the creature to make them suffer. A creature that has Cold Resistance is allowed to make a Fortitude Save with a +4 bonus if their cold resistance is at least twice your caster level to negate the Constitution damage.

Special: An alchemist can prepare this as an infusion, but cannot use the option to cast it as a swift action. Whenever a character gains the Cold domain, after choosing any subdomains, he can choose to replace the 3rd level spell of the domain with this spell. If a character gains the Weather Domain, he can instead replace the 4th level spell of the domain. This is a choice that cannot be changed short of a casting of Limited Wish, Psychic Reformation, Wish, or Miracle.

Taking a new approach to the 3.5’s Warmage was something I had worked on before, but had lost in old files. I’m going to reassemble the abilities/concept, and reimagine it into something that is fun in Pathfinder. I hope this is a fun take on what 4 spell schools might actually be worth.

Warmage (Wizard Arcane School)

The Warmage is a front-line general, bringing forward his mastery in Transmutation and Evocation spells to change the fortunes of armies. Even in the most dire of situations, the Warmage does not fear martial combat with even the most fearsome foes. This focus does not come without a price, however.

Specialization: To take this Wizard School, the Warmage chooses 4 opposition schools other than Evocation and Transmutation. The Warmage may take any feats that require a Wizard to be specialized in either Evocation or Transmutation, gains the bonuses of being specialized in both schools. When they gain free spells for the spellbook class feature, one of them must be Evocation or Transmutation, with no additional restrictions on the other. They also gain a specialist slot, which can be filled with either Evocation or Transmutation.

Proficiencies: The Warmage gains proficiency with light armor and shields(except tower shields). The Warmage never suffers Arcane spell failure chance for any armor or shields he is proficient in. The Warmage also gains proficiency with all simple and martial weapons in one weapon group (see Fighter’s Weapon Training feature), and gains proficiency with all simple, martial, and exotic weapons for their race. The Warmage loses Scribe Scroll at 1st level.

Cantrips: The Warmage can only learn 2 cantrips, Detect Magic and Read Magic. The Warmage does not need to use both cantrip slots for these spells if they choose Divination as an opposition school. The Warmage can learn other cantrips that are not in their opposition schools, but they must use at least a 1st level spell slot for them (although they still count as 0th level spells for the purposes of metamagic).

Warmage’s Edge(Su): Any Evocation spell that you cast adds the lower of your intelligence modifier or your Warmage level to it’s damage. This bonus damage is tripled if the spell can effect exactly 1 person, and it does damage exactly once. Any transmutation spell that you cast that has a touch or close range can affect 1 extra target. This increases by 1 target every 4 Warmage levels after 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, 17th). If any creature attempts a save against this spell, the spell automatically fails for all targets.

Arcane Blade(Su): As a swift action, you may make any melee attack (even through unarmed strikes, natural weapons, and melee touch spells) replace the standard attack stat (usually Strength or Dexterity) with your Intelligence modifier, and can add your Intelligence modifier to your Strength modifier to the damage. If the attack doesn’t apply a Strength modifier to damage, it cannot apply the Intelligence modifier either. This is for all purposes an increased strength modifier to damage, so it is multiplied for a 2-handed weapon, and it is multiplied on a critical hit. You can use this ability 3 + Intelligence modifier times per day.

Student of the Sword(Ex): The Warmage can take Combat feats as bonus Wizard feats. For feat prerequisites only, the Warmage BAB is equal to 3/4 your Warmage level + your BAB from non-Warmage Classes. A class with Full BAB will never progress this class feature, even if the class or feats would otherwise allow this.

Blade’s Fury(Su): As a swift action, you can go into Blade’s Fury. You increase 1 size, as if you are under the effect of Enlarge Person. You can replace your Dexterity modifier to your AC and CMD with your Intelligence modifier, although this is restricted by your armor and shield’s Max Dexterity bonus. You also replace the BAB granted by Warmage levels with your Warmage level. This may allow you to gain more attacks. Finally, you may make an extra attack at your highest base attack bonus. This effect does not stack with Haste or any other ability that doesn’t stack with Haste. You gain this ability at 8th level, and you can use it for a number of rounds per day equal to your Warmage level.

Master of the Battlefield(Su): At 20th level, your Evocation spells and Transmutation spells become unparalleled. Whenever you cast an Evocation spell, you may choose 2 separate targets for your Evocation spell. This spell is cast at both spots, with each target taking the full effect of the spell. If the Evocation spell is 6th level or below, you can instead choose 4 targets, having the spell cast in each spot. In either case, the extra casting of the spells cannot overlap in any way. Whenever you cast a transmutation spell with a range of Touch or Close, you may instead choose to affect any number of targets in Medium-range. If the spell is 7th level or above, if any target attempts a saving throw, the spell fails for every target. If you use this class feature, any swift action spell must be an Evocation or Transmutation spell.

Right now, anyone who knows much about the 3.5 and Pathfinder systems is that Evokers have always gotten the short end of the stick. At some point, I’d like to explore what makes a fun and useful evocation spell (besides blast things to smithereens), Here are a few spells that have come out of that.

A pulse of electricity is placed on the target, tearing into any wounds that open up on the target. Any time that the target takes any damage from any source other than this spell, it also takes 1 + 1 per 3 caster levels lightning damage (max 6).

A pulse of electricity is placed on the target, tearing into any wounds that open up on the target. Any time that the target takes any damage from any source other than this spell, it also takes 3d8 + 1 per 2 caster levels lightning damage (max 3d8+ 10).

You call forth lightning that from the past ages of chaos. You gain a number use of this ability equal to 1/2 your caster level (max 12). With this spell, you can choose from one of 2 abilities as a standard action. You can throw a bolt of lightning up to 400 feet. If this spell hits a creature or object, that target takes 20d6 lightning damage, and must make a Fortitude save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds. Even if he succeeds on the save, he is stunned for 1 round. The target is not allowed a save if the spell would hit standard AC. Either way, all creatures around him also take 20d6 lightning damage and are stunned for 1 round (reflex half and negate stun).

The second use of this spell centers it on yourself. Doing it this way does no damage, but makes a Bull rush CMB check on all creatures within 40 feet of you equal to 1d20 + 15 + your casting stat + your caster level. If this bull rush succeeds, it pushes the creature 40 feet + 5 feet for every 2 points that you succeed by. All creatures in the area of the spell (other than yourself) must make a Fortitude Save or be blinded permanently (dazzled for 1 hour on save).

When you cast this spell, you gain 1 charge + 1 charge per caster level (max 6 charges at caster level 5). As an attack action (or once as a free action upon casting this spell), you may use 1 charge. This allows a ranged attack with a range increment of 50ft which must hit normal AC, but does 1d10 cold damage if it hits. This spell is treated as the most advantageous of a non-magical piercing weapon or a cold attack. You gain your choice of bonuses that would apply to any bow or crossbow or any cold ray. Each missile is affected by Spell Resistance separately.

You call a storm from the skies that surrounds you with lightning. Any creatures on the edges of the range take 1d8 lightning damage/CL (max 10d8) unless they succeed on a Reflex save. If they do, they gain free movement to either side of the spell. The spell persists, in which if any creature attempts to go to the other side of the wall by standard movement, they take 5d6 lightning damage (no save) and must succeed on a bull rush CMB check (DC 15 + Caster level + Casting stat or the caster’s CMD vs Bull rush, if higher) or have it’s movement stopped immediately. If a creature is forced against the wall, it cannot attempt the bull rush check, and will remain on it’s side of the wall.

I do admit that a lot of what’s here are lightning spells, and this does include some experiments in having some extra use for Gishes, mainly through adding bonuses for hitting primary AC, and allowing some martial stats to affect the difficulty of the spells. On the other hand, I’m hoping effects like Primal Bolt, which doesn’t give more upfront damage, but allows a spell slot to go further, gives true mages a reason to use evocation spells without DMs feeling a need to just stack more hp.